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Monday, March 19, 2007

Coke & Pepsi's plans for summer

The summer months are here and Cola giants are pulling out all the stops to keep you cool. Coca Cola gets ready to paint the town red with its lounges and Pepsi puts it money on fitness. So, what's bubbling under the fizz?

Frequent management changes may have taken the fizz out of Coke's India plans but the company is ready to hit back. Coca-Cola will soon paint the town red with its experiential lounges, and India will become the second market after the US to adopt Coca-Cola's experiential marketing strategy.

Vice President, Marketing, Coca-Cola India, Venkatesh Kinitold CNBC-TV18, "We are test marketing it in Pune, it should launch nationwide soon." It will have a nationwide presence but only mall-centric. Coke's Red Lounges will be open air youth corners with comfortable couches, iPod stations, gaming options and your ticket to lounge in luxury will cost you a bottle of coke! Coca-Cola is also hoping to tap the high-end water market with the nationwide launch of Shweppes and arch rival Pepsi, is obviously not sitting pretty!

Executive Director, Innovation & Business Development, PepsiCo India, Geetu Verma said, "There will a spate of innovations from February to July - new themes will be aired soon and there will also be consumer promotions."

Both Cola giants will hit screens with new commercials for their carbonated drinks, but with fitness occupying consumer mindspace, companies are pumping in significant investments towards juices this year.

Pepsi has doubled the investment in Tropicana and Coca-Cola will launch Minute Maid across the country in the second quarter.